Series 2: Prog 11: 15/06/08

This week, Adam Walton gets a session of double maths, as we consider the role of mathematicians in making road and rail networks run smoothly. And we hear about Robert Recorde, the Welshman who was one of the founding fathers of British mathematics.

Sunday 15th June at 5.03pm

(Repeated Wednesday 18th June at 9.30pm)

Molecular Psychiatry

Before we get into the maths though, Adam takes a look at a new approach to psychiatry. There's far more to psychiatry nowadays than simply putting someone on the couch. Of course techniques where doctors talk to patients are still important but alongside this - and drug treatments - there's the relatively new field of molecular psychiatry which explores the links between our genes and our behaviour. Swansea University is an important centre for research into molecular psychiatry and Professor Johannes Thome chats with Adam about what it all means.

The Equals Sign and The Welshman

They say that it takes a genius to state the obvious. Take the 'equals' sign in mathematics, for example. It's such a fundamental part of any equation that you can't imagine what happened before it was invented. But it was invented, and what's more it was invented by a Welshman. His name was Robert Recorde and he's known as "the father of British mathematics". This year marks the 450th anniversary of his death and next month a conference is being held in his honour at Gregynog Hall near Newtown. One of the organisers is Professor Gareth Roberts of Bangor University, and he came on the programme to explain who exactly Robert Recorde was.

Maths And Traffic

Robert Recorde may have been one of the founding fathers of the subject but even he would be amazed at the range of uses to which mathematics can be put. Our complex and busy transport networks are a good example. From railway timetables to city centre traffic lights, the work of mathematicians is vital to avoid overloaded systems going into complete meltdown. Jeff Griffiths, Professor of Mathematics at Cardiff University, told Adam how much maths has a use in solving complicated traffic problems

Espresso Science

On this week's Espresso Science, Dr Diane Gray of the Techniquest @ NEWI Science Discovery Centre in Wrexham gets Adam tied up in rather a knotty problem.
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